Report highlights community investment, expanded programs and collaborative partnerships addressing some of the region’s most pressing health and social challenges.

PHILADELPHIA, July 14, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Today, Jefferson released its 2025 Community Impact Report: Driven to Improve Lives. Serving communities from the Poconos to South Jersey, Jefferson provided more than $2.7 billion in community benefit, supported 10 million patient visits, awarded nearly two million dollars in grants and sponsorships to more than 150 nonprofit partners, and continued advancing its Healthy Communities Framework through initiatives focused on healthcare access, healthy food, community engagement, safe environments, social support, and policy and advocacy.

“At Jefferson, our commitment to community defines who we are and how we lead. As an anchor institution, our mission to improve lives extends beyond care delivery to strengthening the fabric of the communities we serve,” says Joseph G. Cacchione, MD, Chief Executive Officer, Jefferson. “Through investments in education, workforce development, healthcare access and community partnerships, we are creating opportunities that help individuals, families and neighborhoods thrive.”

Jefferson’s community impact work focuses on six key pillars: access to healthcare, community engagement, healthy food access, policy and advocacy, safe and accessible environments, and social support.

Access to Healthcare

Jefferson actively partners with a diverse network of community organizations, including faith-based groups, businesses and advocates, to enhance health outcomes by delivering high-quality, accessible, patient-centered care.

• Jefferson’s Community Health Worker program earned national Community Health Worker accreditation from URAC, making Jefferson the first organization in the nation to receive this credential.
• Through the Community Health Worker (CHW) Collective, Jefferson helped individuals navigate healthcare services and community resources. In 2025, CHWs conducted more than 5,500 in-person visits, 14,600 telephone engagements, facilitated 2,300 medical appointments, received 4,300 referrals, and completed 1,100 health screenings.  
• The CHW Academy expanded through accelerated training programs and additional cohorts, increasing workforce capacity and community reach.
• Jefferson delivered healthcare access and preventive screenings through JeffCARES, Jefferson Health Plans and Mobile Screening Vans at community events throughout the region.  

Community Engagement

At Jefferson, meaningful change happens collectively through partnerships, volunteerism, and direct involvement. In 2025, Jefferson expanded JeffCARES (Community, Action, Resource + Engagement Support), our signature community engagement and volunteer program.

• Jefferson launched the INSPIRE Network to strengthen community health through faith-based partnerships. Since its launch, the network has engaged more than 150 faith-based organizations, connected with more than 2,000 community members and delivered more than 350 health screenings.  
• Jefferson Health Plans expanded community outreach through major programs including Night at the Zoo, the Annual Community Baby Shower and the Fall Health and Wellness Fest, bringing screenings, education and wellness resources directly into neighborhoods. Night at the Zoo alone reaches more than 4,000 individuals annually.
• Through JeffCARES, community partnerships continued to strengthen local health outcomes through education, prevention, and direct service programs.

Healthy Food Access

Access to healthy food contributes to overall community health and well-being. Individuals facing food insecurity are at a higher risk for developing chronic health issues, such as heart disease or diabetes.

• In 2025, Jefferson Einstein Philadelphia Hospital opened the JeffCARES Community Food Pantry in partnership with Philabundance to help address food insecurity among patients and local residents. The pantry serves 150–160 individuals each week and distributed nearly 6,700 bags of food in its first year.
• Jefferson strengthened food access through nutrition education, food distribution programs and partnerships with organizations including The Food Trust and regional food banks.
• Jefferson’s annual food drive collected more than 15,000 items across 27 locations, supporting hospital-based and community food pantries throughout the region.

Policy and Advocacy

Public policy makes lasting, community-wide health improvements. Jefferson’s population health research contributes to policies making healthcare more accessible and equitable.

• Jefferson partnered with policymakers, community leaders and advocacy organizations to advance policies that improve healthcare access, workforce development and address social drivers of health.  
• Advocacy efforts included supporting Community Health Worker initiatives, preventive screenings and prevention-focused health policies. Jefferson teams participated in advocacy events in Harrisburg and with the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network.

Safe and Accessible Environments

Feeling safe and having a supportive social environment are at the forefront of building healthy communities. Jefferson partners with local groups working to increase housing stability, transportation and other services.

• Jefferson expanded access to lifesaving resources through its AED Donation Program and supported maternal and infant health through Cribs for Kids.
• Catalyst Grants supported community organizations focused on violence prevention, youth development and neighborhood stability.
• Initiatives such as Park in a Truck helped create accessible green spaces and promote community-centered wellness activities.

Social Support

Both social and emotional factors play a pivotal role in the physical health of patients and our broader communities. Jefferson invested in supportive programs such as:

• Jefferson expanded access to mental health and behavioral health services through programs such as the School-Based Behavioral Health Program, which embeds therapists in K–12 schools.
• Programs including MATER, Safe Harbor and bereavement support groups provided specialized support for individuals and families facing complex challenges.
• Through more than 20 Academic Pathways programs, Jefferson supported workforce development and healthcare career exploration. In 2025, healthcare career programs reached more than 580 high school students, while the New to Practice Workforce Program has trained and hired 27 students into Jefferson positions to date.

“Our impact reflects intentional action,” says Keith Leaphart, DO, MBA, Executive Vice President and Chief Health Equity and Community Impact Officer, Jefferson. “Guided by our Healthy Communities Framework, we work alongside community members, educators, nonprofit organizations and volunteers to address the conditions that shape health and well-being. Whether through community health workers, food access programs, workforce pathways or preventive care initiatives, we are committed to creating lasting change and expanding opportunity across the communities we serve.”

At Jefferson, we remain committed to improving the lives of the patients, students, health plan members and communities we serve. This work reflects the positive impact of collaboration across Jefferson Health, Thomas Jefferson University, Jefferson Health Plans and community partners throughout the region. Explore the full 2025 Community Impact Report to learn more about how Jefferson is driven to improve lives.

About Jefferson   

Jefferson is reimagining health care and higher education to create unparalleled value throughout Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware. More than 65,000 people strong, Jefferson is dedicated to providing high-quality, compassionate clinical care for patients; making our communities healthier and stronger; preparing tomorrow’s professional leaders for 21st-century careers; and creating new knowledge through basic/programmatic, clinical and applied research. Thomas Jefferson University, home of Sidney Kimmel Medical College, Jefferson College of Nursing, the College of Business, the College of Fashion & Textiles, and the College of Architecture, Design & Engineering, dates back to 1824 and today comprises 11 colleges and one school offering 200+ undergraduate and graduate programs to more than 8,300 students. Jefferson Health, nationally ranked as one of the top 15 not-for-profit healthcare systems in the country and the largest provider in the Philadelphia and Lehigh Valley areas, serves patients through millions of encounters each year at 33 hospital campuses and more than 700 outpatient and urgent care locations throughout the region. Jefferson Health Plans, through Health Partners Plans Inc., is a not-for-profit managed healthcare organization offering a broad range of health coverage options to more than 370,000 members for more than 40 years. 

 

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SOURCE Thomas Jefferson University